Work of local fashion designers, stylists hits runway

Tonight’s ‘Runway Fashion Explosion’ has a celebrity touch

Published: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 12:13 a.m.

TUSCALOOSA | The third annual “Runway Fashion Explosion” will be at 7 tonight at the Bryant Conference Center.

Tanika Rice, the event coordinator, said the show highlights the designs and talent of local fashion designers, stylists, models and some retailers.

This year’s show will feature the work of five local designers and three stylists. Forty-two local models will show off the creations.

“The show is little different,” Rice said. “It’s urban, like BET’s ‘Rip the Runway,’ plus high fashion. When you go to a fashion show, you’re looking for something exotic, something you can’t get in the store. It’s also going to be a hair show where there’s some acting involved and choreographed scripts. So you get a variety.

“This year we’re going to have a few celebrity stylists and designers as well,” she said. “We’re getting some backing from people who have had success in the fashion industry in Atlanta. So I guess we’ve started to create a buzz.

“It was hard to do that because when big stylists hear Tuscaloosa or Alabama, they don’t think it’s going to be a real show. People don’t take Alabama seriously. But I’m excited that some people are taking it seriously this year and coming to the show. There is a lot of real talent here in Tuscaloosa.”

In the fashion show’s first year, about 700 people attended, a higher number than expected. Last year, the show grew even larger with an attendance of 950. This year, Rice said she expects well more than 1,000 people to attend.

“We’ve already sold half the seats,” she said.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. They can be bought from Archibald & Woodrow’s BBQ, Beauty and Beyond and City Gear.

The contact information for the designers and stylists will be on the event’s program for anyone who’s interested in purchasing something they see displayed.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | The third annual “Runway Fashion Explosion” will be at 7 tonight at the Bryant Conference Center.</p><p>Tanika Rice, the event coordinator, said the show highlights the designs and talent of local fashion designers, stylists, models and some retailers.</p><p>This year's show will feature the work of five local designers and three stylists. Forty-two local models will show off the creations.</p><p>“The show is little different,” Rice said. “It's urban, like BET's 'Rip the Runway,' plus high fashion. When you go to a fashion show, you're looking for something exotic, something you can't get in the store. It's also going to be a hair show where there's some acting involved and choreographed scripts. So you get a variety.</p><p>“This year we're going to have a few celebrity stylists and designers as well,” she said. “We're getting some backing from people who have had success in the fashion industry in Atlanta. So I guess we've started to create a buzz.</p><p>“It was hard to do that because when big stylists hear Tuscaloosa or Alabama, they don't think it's going to be a real show. People don't take Alabama seriously. But I'm excited that some people are taking it seriously this year and coming to the show. There is a lot of real talent here in Tuscaloosa.”</p><p>In the fashion show's first year, about 700 people attended, a higher number than expected. Last year, the show grew even larger with an attendance of 950. This year, Rice said she expects well more than 1,000 people to attend.</p><p>“We've already sold half the seats,” she said.</p><p>Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. They can be bought from Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ, Beauty and Beyond and City Gear.</p><p>The contact information for the designers and stylists will be on the event's program for anyone who's interested in purchasing something they see displayed.</p><p>Reach Jamon Smith at jamon.smith@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.</p>